Argyranthemum plant named ‘SY TAG 5006’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘SY TAG 5006’, characterized by its compact, upright to slightly outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; single-type inflorescences with ray florets that are initially light pink in color becoming red purple with development; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Argyranthemum frutescens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SY TAG 5006’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SY TAG 5006’.

The new Argyranthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Billerbeck/Beerlage, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely branching and flowering Argyranthemum cultivars with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Argyranthemum originated from an open-pollination in 2004 in Billerbeck/Beerlage, Germany of the Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar SY 01 04, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Argyranthemum frutescens, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Argyranthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Billerbeck/Beerlage, Germany in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since December, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Argyranthemun have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SY TAG 5006’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SY TAG 5006’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to slightly outwardly spreading and mounded         plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Single-type inflorescences with ray florets that are         initially light pink in color becoming red purple with         development.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the female parent, ‘SY 01 04’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum are more compact than plants         of ‘SY 01 04’.     -   2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum are more freely branching and         bushier than plants of ‘SY 01 04’.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum are initially         light pink in color becoming red purple with development whereas         ray florets of plants of ‘SY 01 04’ are pink in color.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of the Argyranthemum ‘M9/18D’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,470. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif. plants of the new Argyranthemun differed from plants of ‘M9/18D’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were more compact than and         not as open as plants of ‘M9/18D’.     -   2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were more freely branching         than plants of ‘M9/18D’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Argyranthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Argyranthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘SY TAG 5006’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘SY TAG 5006’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the late winter/early spring in Bonsall, Calif. and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Argyranthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 27° C. and night temperatures averaged 20° C. Rooted young plants were planted in 15-cm containers and had been growing for six weeks when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Argyranthemum frutescens ‘SY TAG 5006’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.— Argyranthemum frutescens, ‘SY 01             04’, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Argyranthemum             frutescens not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at             temperatures of 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plants, summer.—About 15 days             at temperatures of 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plants, winter.—About 20 days             at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium thickness, white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous single-type potted Argyranthemum.             Compact, upright to slightly outwardly spreading and mounded             plant habit. Strong and freely branching growth habit with             about 12 to 15 lateral branches developing per plant each             with numerous secondary branches; dense and bushy habit.             Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 21 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About             3.5 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Deeply dissected with three to five irregular lobes.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Oblique.         -   Margin.—Deeply incised.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 146A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to             N137D; venation, close to 137B. Fully expanded foliage,             lower surface. Close to 137C; venation, close to 137C.         -   Petiole length.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 137B.         -   Petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single-type inflorescence form with             ligulate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminal and axillary peduncles above foliage. Disc and ray             florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants flower from spring to fall in             Southern California, flowering continuous during this             period.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about seven to             ten days on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about 68             inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 155C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.1 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle             height: About 5 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Receptacle color: Close to 146B.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Ligulate. Orientation: Initially             upright, then perpendicular to the peduncle; apices             reflexing with development. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             longitudinally ridged. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 20 arranged in one to two whorls.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Ground color, close to             N155D; with development, tinted with close to 64B to 64D.             When opening, lower surface: Ground color, close to N155D;             towards the apex, tinted with close to 64B. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 61A; at the base, N155D. With             development, color shifts/fades to close to N77B. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 186C to 186D.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About             6 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: About 128. Color, immature: Apex: Close to             151B. Mid-section: Close to 15A. Base: Close to 145B. Color,             mature: Apex: Close to 3A. Mid-section: Close to 145D. Base:             Close to 157C.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 32             in three whorls. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 1 mm.             Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Scattered pubescence. Color, upper surface:             Close to 145A to 145B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 6 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately             strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; longitudinally             ridged. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per disc floret:             Five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to             145D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 1.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 7A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 13A. Gynoecium (present on ray and disc             florets): Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape:             Two-parted. Stigma color: Close to 151C. Style length: About             2 mm. Style color: Close to 150C. Ovary color: Close to             157D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Argyranthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Argyranthemum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain     and temperatures from about 1° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Argyranthemum plant named ‘SY TAG 5006’ as illustrated and described. 